Community Shootaround

There were howls of protest out of Houston today when the 2017 class was announced for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Despite making five all-star teams as a player and winning two titles as a coach, Rudy Tomjanovich was passed over once again.

Former teammate Calvin Murphy and ex-Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy were among those protesting the omission. Houston Chronicle writer Jonathan Feigen blasted the move in a column, saying “The exclusion of Tomjanovich and others said nothing about their achievements, and everything about the secret panel’s failure.”

The man known as “Rudy T” was one of the top forwards in the game in the 1970s. He spent 11 years in the NBA, all with the Rockets, and might have played longer if not for the lingering effects from Kermit Washington’s infamous punch in 1977.

After his playing career ended, Tomjanovich stayed with the Rockets as an assistant coach. He took over as head coach midway through 1991/92 and compiled 527 career wins, leading the franchise to its only championships in 1994 and 1995.

But Tomjanovich wasn’t the only significant player to be passed over this year. Here are a few more who have arguably earned a spot in Springfield:

• Chris Webber — The first pick in the 1993 draft was also a five-time All-Star. He played 15 NBA seasons, seven with Sacramento, and helped the Kings become one of the most successful teams of the early 2000s. He was the 1994 Rookie of the Year and an All-NBA selection in 2001.
• Sidney Moncrief — Another five-time All-Star, Moncrief was the standout player on some great Bucks teams in the 1980s. He scored nearly 12,000 points in 11 NBA seasons and was voted Defensive Player of the Year in 1983 and 1984.
• Tim Hardaway Sr. — One of the NBA’s best point guards in his 14 seasons, Hardaway is best known as part of the electric “Run T.M.C.” Golden State teams. He made five All-Star teams, was named to the All-Rookie Team in 1990 and the All-NBA Team in 1997.
• Kevin Johnson — The former Suns standout ranks sixth in NBA history in assists per game with 9.1 over his career. He played 13 seasons, made three All-Star teams and was named Most Improved Player in 1989.
• Jack Sikma — The former SuperSonics and Bucks center is the only eligible seven-time All-Star not enshrined in Springfield. He played 14 seasons, scored 17,287 points and won the 1979 championship in Seattle.
• Bob Dandridge — He was a star forward in the 1970s who won titles with the Bucks and Bullets. Dandridge played 13 seasons, made four All-Star teams and holds the distinction for scoring the most points in the NBA Finals during the 1970s.

We want to hear from you. Which of these players most deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, and who are some others that should be considered? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

A month ago, it seemed clear that Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic were on their way out of Chicago. Now it’s less certain than it used to be.

Rondo and Mirotic have emerged as unlikely leaders as the Bulls fight for one of the East’s final playoff spots. At 35-39, they entered tonight’s action one game behind the eighth-place Heat but just three games out of the fifth seed.

Rondo has reclaimed the starting point guard role and taken control of the Bulls’ offense. He barely missed a triple double Sunday in a crucial win at Milwaukee and looks comfortable running the team for the first time all season. It’s a far cry from mid-January when he was relegated to the bench and stayed in shape by playing pickup games at an area middle school.

Rondo proclaimed himself one of Chicago’s “three alphas” along with Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade after signing a two-year deal worth nearly $27.4MM in July. But it’s not clear if that view was ever shared by the Bulls’ front office, who traded for one point guard, Michael Carter-Williams, in October, and another, Cameron Payne, last month.

But Rondo may be changing minds with his recent play. Bulls.com beat writer Sam Smith recently stated that it’s “no longer ridiculous” that the team might pick up Rondo’s $13.397MM option for next season. Chicago’s desire for cap room will certainly factor into that decision, as just $3MM of Rondo’s deal is guaranteed through June 30th.

Mirotic’s turnaround may be even more remarkable. He was being held out of games just two weeks ago, but has bounced back to become a key part of the Bulls’ offense. He has scored 28, 15 and 28 points in his last three games. Mirotic will be a restricted free agent this summer, so Chicago will have the option to match any offer he gets.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should the Bulls bring back Rondo and Mirotic next season or should they look for other players to fill those roles? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

A.C. Green has a streak that will probably never be broken, considering the way players and coaches now view the 82-game schedule.

Green holds the NBA record for most consecutive games played with 1,192. Green’s streak looks more and more like Cal Ripken’s MLB Iron Man streak — something that no other player will come close to breaking. In today’s NBA, even a full season of games is considered too much to bear.

Coaches are resting players with increased frequency and commissioner Adam Silver isn’t happy about it. Many fans and the league’s broadcast partners are also irked by the practice of teams giving their stars who are healthy enough to play the night off. It’s become a hot-button issue now that two nationally-televised ABC broadcasts have featured a Warriors’ team sitting all their stars and the Cavaliers doing the same the following Saturday night.

Silver sent out a memo to all team owners imploring them to get more involved in decisions to sit out players, citing the “business ramifications” of these healthy scratches. It’s certainly not good for TV ratings and it shortchanges fans who bought tickets to these games, expecting to see LeBron James and Stephen Curry instead of second- and third-stringers.

Silver also called for significant penalties to be levied on teams who don’t given sufficient notice that they’re going to sit players.

Along with contenders giving their regulars a rest, some non-contenders are shutting down veterans to take longer looks at their younger players. The Suns are in case in point — they had to sign a player to 10-day contract on Sunday just have eight players suit up for a game earlier this week.

The flip side of the argument is that contenders want to keep their best players fresh for the postseason, rather than wear them out to collect a few more regular-season victories.  As James, who has missed six games this season, points out, “A coach’s job is to figure out a way for their team to compete for a championship, not compete for a game.”

That brings us to our question of the day: Do you believe that the NBA needs to curtail the practice of resting players? If so, how should the league address the issue?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to your input on this topic.

When LeBron James speculated last season about one day joining forces with Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony, it seemed like just a fantasy. But recent events have created uncertain futures for three of the NBA’s four most famous friends.

Wade will miss the rest of the regular season after suffering a sprain and fracture in his right elbow on Wednesday. He left open a chance that he might return for the playoffs, but Chicago has fallen to 32-37 and two games out of the eighth spot in the East. Wade has a $23.8MM player option for next season, which might be tough to top on the open market, but if Wade opts out he may have already played his final game with the Bulls.

Paul is considered a sure thing to exercise his early termination option and forego a $24,268,960 salary for next season. At age 31, Paul will be seeking one last long-term contract to carry him through the end of his NBA career. Whether that deal comes from the Clippers could depend on L.A.’s playoff success. With Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick all headed to free agency, owner Steve Ballmer will have to decide if huge luxury tax payments are justified to keep the team together. Currently tied for fifth in the West, L.A. is likely to enter the postseason without home-court advantage.

The playoffs aren’t a concern in New York, where Anthony is toiling for the 12th best team in the East. He has been in a long-running feud with team president Phil Jackson and was the subject of trade rumors involving the Clippers, Cavaliers and Celtics prior to the deadline. Anthony is signed through next season, then has an early termination option for 2018/19. There’s a growing feeling that he might be willing to waive his no-trade clause this summer to join a contender and get away from Jackson.

That brings us to today’s question: Where do you think Wade, Paul and Anthony will be playing next season, and will they someday team up with LeBron before they all leave the NBA? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy sang the praises of his Jazz counterpart, Quin Snyder, prior to their teams’ game on Wednesday.

“There’s always a lot of good coaching jobs done in this league but you’d have to put him in the top three or four in what’s he’s done with that team and bringing them [up] from last year,” Van Gundy said.

Certainly, Snyder would have to be on anyone’s short list for the NBA Coach of the Year award. The Jazz are cruising along at 18 games over .500 and have moved into fourth place in the Western Conference, ahead of the much-more heralded Clippers and Thunder. Utah suffered through numerous injuries last season and finished two games under .500, just missing the playoffs.

There are a few other coaches who have emerged as candidates for the honor as the regular season winds down. Certainly, the Rockets’ Mike D’Antoni has re-asserted himself as a major force in his profession. Following failed stints with the Knicks and Lakers, D’Antoni seemed to be at the end of his head coaching career.

D’Antoni got another chance in Houston and found the perfect situation because of its commitment to a high-powered offense and the 3-point shot. His decision to make James Harden the primary ballhandler has turned the Rockets into one of the league’s most feared teams, one year removed from a dysfunctional and disappointing season in which the Rockets finished with a .500 record.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is often taken for granted but he’s got his team in position to snatch away the top seed from the Warriors. San Antonio hasn’t missed a beat despite the retirement of Tim Duncan and a backcourt with only one player (Patty Mills) whose PER is above the league average of 15.0.

Over in the Eastern Conference, Wizards coach Scott Brooks has his team within striking distance of the top seed after it finished .500 last season. The Wizards have dealt with chemistry and locker-room issues in recent years but Brooks has them playing harmoniously.
Brad Stevens has continued to keep the Celtics on an upward trajectory, as they currently sit in the No. 2 spot.

The Heat’s stunning turnaround has moved Erik Spoelstra in the conversation. Left for dead at the midway point with an 11-30 record, the Heat have surged into playoff contention despite injuries to several rotation players.

That brings us to our question of the day: Who do you feel is most deserving of the Coach of the Year award and why?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Right now, most basketball fans are agonizing over their bracket selections for the NCAA Tournament. With no clearcut favorite during March Madness this year, there are a lot of difficult decisions ahead before those brackets are finalized.

Every tournament has some breakout performers who garner national attention — and perhaps improve their NBA draft stock. Most of the projected lottery picks for the June draft will be in action this weekend, trying to lead their teams to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.

Virtually all of those players are freshmen falling into the one-and-done category. The one who has received the most publicity is UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball. The precocious floor leader tops the nation in assists and is expected to be one of the top two picks in the draft along with Washington’s Markelle Fultz.

Using DraftExpress.com’s current rankings, there are three other freshmen in the top five on serious title contenders. Kansas small forward Josh Jackson was suspended for a game in the Big 12 tournament but it won’t affect his status for the NCAAs. He’s averaging 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists for that perennial powerhouse. Duke small forward Jayson Tatum posted slightly higher point and rebounding totals than Jackson, while Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox engineers the Wildcats’ high-octane attack.

Fox’s team, swingman Malik Monk, can score in bunches as his 20.4 point average attests. Arizona power forward Lauri Markkanen has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, while small forward Jonathan Isaac quickly emerged as one of the top players for No. 3 seed Florida State.

Still another freshman, Michigan State small forward Miles Bridges, carried the load for a team riddled with injuries to its veteran players. North Carolina’s leading scorer Justin Jackson breaks the mold by being a junior and he could move up a few spots if the Tar Heels make a deep run.

Of course, it’s not necessary to have a lottery-bound player to win the national championship, as Villanova showed last season. But we’re not asking for your bracket picks here, we’re looking for your opinion on these projected lottery picks.

This brings us to our question of the day: Which of the current projected lottery picks will make the biggest splash in the NCAA Tournament and why will they stand out?

Please take to the comments section to voice your opinion. We look forward to what you have to say.

The Knicks made headlines with their decision to forgo in-game music during the first half of Sunday’s games against the Warriors. As Andrew Joseph of USA Today wrote, the result was a genuinely interesting example of what professional basketball games could be.

We know now, per Chris Haynes of ESPN, that Draymond Green was not a fan of the experiment saying that it interrupted game flow but Joseph and Kenny Ducey (whose videos were embedded in the USA Today piece) aren’t the only ones who appreciated the gesture. Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post thought it was a good idea, too.

Not only did the stadium avoid the in-game music that typically plays sporadically while the clock is ticking and during timeouts, it served the national anthem and starting lineups acapella as well.

What do you suppose you would prefer at the next professional game you attend? And would this differ if you were a player who had grown accustomed to playing under certain conditions?

Finally, should it be up to the discretion of each venue to determine whether music gets played during games or should there be some element of uniformity throughout the league?

Weigh in below!